La Boheme, Denver Colorado.

This is a photograph of the mural on the side of La Boheme in Denver, which euphemistically calls itself a "gentleman's cabaret". By that it means, no doubt, something on the order of "strip club".

La Boheme, which means the female Bohemian in French, is located in what was once a pretty rough downtown Denver neighborhood which went through gentrification after Coors Field was constructed. The transformation in this area was remarkable and its still ongoing, Colorado's legalization of marijuana had reintroduced a feeling of decay into downtown once again.  At any rate, in spite of many old buildings being bought and converted into new upscale uses, and in spite of being located across the street from the downtown Embassy Suites, a nice Denver business hotel, La Boheme keeps on keeping on.

I can't recall this mural being there until just recently, so it's presumably a new addition.  Perhaps keeping in mind where it is, it's not shockingly skanky and is actually fairly well done.  It's placement resulted in a minor debate with my travel companions on whether it depicts Marilyn Monroe, Jenny McCarthy, or none of the above.  The first two choices would in some ways emphasize the tragic nature of the establishments purpose.  Anyhow, it's fairly well done except that the figures left hand, which isn't really visible in this photo, is quite meaty, making for an odd appearance.

Postscript

The image is in fact that of Marilyn Monroe.  I ran across it by accident elsewhere on the net.

Welsh Furniture Company Warehouse, Casper Wyoming

The ? Supply Company, Denver Colordo

A snapshot, this depicts a building that has a tile sign noting that its a supply  company, but I'm not sure what sort of supply company, as a tree obscures that part of thesign.

Icehouse, Denver Colorado

This old building in Lower Downtown Denver bears a name that is somewhat confusing.  With a name suggesting cold storage, the building was in fact built as the Littleton Creamery and Beatrice Foods Cold Storage Warehouse.  Now, however, its an apartment and condominium building and it also houses a bar named the Icehouse Tavern.

Sonic Rainbow, Casper Wyoming.

 1960s themed Record Store Day poster, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the store, Sonic Rainbow, in Casper.

Somewhat off topic, independent record store Sonic Rainboy, in Casper, features interesting window art and window paintings fairly frequently, examples of which are here for Independent Record Store Day.

Record Store Day is the third Saturday in April and commemorates independent record stores.

Wyoming Automotive Company and the Rock Srpings City Hall, Rock Springs Wyoming.

This photo, taken with an Iphone on my way to a deposition, is far from ideal, and was intended to be of the Rock Springs City Hall.  It's also included on our Courthouses of the West blog.  But, more or less coincidentally, the sign for Wyoming Automotive Company can be seen on the building next to the city hall.

I don't know about this particular Wyoming Automotive, and the sign is barely depicted because the trees in the photograph obscure it, but the Wyoming Automotive in Casper was an automobile parts store, and I suspect that this one was or is.

Folded Products Co., A Classic Touch, Ft. Collins Colorado.

This is a nicely preserved older brick building in Ft. Collins Colorado that has housed A Classic Touch motorcycles for at least 25 years.  At one time, according to the painted sign on the top of the building, it housed the Folded Products Company, although I have no idea what that was.

Sinclair sign, Cody Wyoming

The remnants of a Sinclair sign on the side of a store in Cody Wyoming.  I suspect that hte store was once a garage.

Center Street and 2nd, Casper Wyoming, at night.

Times Square, New York City

Radio City Music Hall, New York City.

Denver Engine House No. 5, Denver Colorado.

This is Denver Engine House No. 5, a 1922 vintage Denver fire station now used as retail space in Denver.

Natrona County High School. Casper Wyoming

These are a series of not very good photographs taken of Natrona County High School, one of three high schools in  Casper, Wyoming.  It's the oldest school, having been built in 1923, when this school replaced the prior high school, Casper High School.  NC's fight song predates the school, and recalls the earlier school, with its lyrics "All Hail To Casper High School".

I was up at NC because I was curious about the monument that appears in front of it.  It probably shows something about my teenage mentality, but I didn't know what the monument was for, even though I went to this school and passed by it every day, albeit some 30 years ago.  I probably didn't know what it was for then.

Indeed, the whole experience of taking a look at the school through a lens, albeit the lousy Iphone lens, was a bit odd.  I spent three years here, my wife graduated from here, her parents graduated from here, and my father graduated from here, but I was struck by how little I took notice of various details of the building. This is true even though I've photographed part of it before, back in high school.  In thinking on it, I went through the same door every day, left through that door, and there were entire exterior parts of the school I rarely walked by (and in part for good reason, at the time).  It's one of Casper's most beautiful buildings, and I hadn't really appreciated the structure much before.

 

According to my father, who was almost always right on such details, the building is nearly a copy of one in Denver Colorado, which is just a little larger.  Many schools built in this time frame, the 1920s, had similar castle like appearance.

It's interesting to note that this building was built during Casper's big boom of the late teens and early 20s.  It fits in, in terms of period of construction, with many of the more significant downtown buildings as well as many of the downtown area Casper churches. A lot of Casper's most striking and substantial buildings date from this period, which saw a major World War One/Post War oil boom boost the local economy.

An interesting detail of NCHS, which I paid very little attention to while there, is the two framed sets of quotations on the building.  Obviously intended to instruct the students on their purpose while there, I paid next to no attention to them while there, even though I probably should have.

This part of the building frames in a quote from Article 3 of the Northwest Ordinance, which stated, in full:

Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.

The quote on the school just runs through the first section of the quote.

I have to wonder if a quote like this would even be tolerated on a building today.  I doubt it, as the citation to religion and morality would no doubt offend some.

And here's another framed set of quotes.  The first quote is from Proverbs Chapter 47, which states:

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Again, solid advice for the student.  Once again, I'm sure today somebody would be offended if a quote from the Old Testament was included on a public building, let alone a school.

This also included a quote from Euripides, which is:

Whoso neglects learning in his youth,
Loses the past and is dead for the future.

 Very true indeed.

This door at NC has the words above it "Suit the Action to the Word".

And this door proclaims "Education Makes the Man."

This is what I actually went up to investigate:

I thought this might have been a World War One memorial I earlier missed, so I intended to check it out and perhaps to my blog on war memorials.  As it turns out, it's nothing of the kind, as the dedication reveals:

I had to look May Hamilton up, but apparently she was a pioneer local educator who was significant in Natrona County schools for many years.

John F. Welch Auditorium, NCHS

I added the photograph above while viewing a concert at NC.  This portrays, although not terribly well, the ornate nature of the stage.  Statues of Lincoln and Washington are on each side.  Photo added on May 16, 2014.

NCHS is currently under reconstruction with parts of the old structure, such as the swimming pool (the oldest indoor pool in Wyoming, coming down.  This photo and the ones below show the state of the work as of June 13, 2014.

 

The last two photographs show NCHS from the air, in July 2015, as construction was ongoing.  This photograph was taken from a plane nearly as old as the school, a Ford Tri Motor.

Wolcott Galleria, Casper Wyoming.

A modern example of something old, the Wolcott Galleria sign in a heavily traveled alley in Casper Wyoming.

Manhole Cover, Casper Wyoming

Straying somewhat from the focus of the blog, this is an ornate manhole cover on a Midwest Avenue sidewalk in Casper.  The only one of its kind in Casper of which I'm aware, its been in place for decades.

Colorado Capital

 

The Colorado Capitol building, which was in the process of being re-roofed (gilded?) when these photos were taken.